pavehawkfavehawk Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Figured I'd check in down here in the military section. I'm a USAF helicopter pilot. Yes we do exist. I'm on my second assignment. Been deployed a few times. We primarily train for CSAR, think Vietnam/Bosnia type stuff, but do CASEVAC, civil SAR, and some other things. Lots of prospective warrants on here. If anyone wants to talk to me about flying old heavy helicopters in crappy places BUT also getting per diem, going to nice places to fly, and enjoying the benefits of USAF life let me know! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brackac Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 From someone who has been in both the Army and Air Force, there isnt a difference between the two. Ive slept in mud and relaxed in a Ritz Carlton in both services. It ultimately comes down to the job you pick and your chain of command, those two things dictate quality of life more than the service youre in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brackac Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 The Air Force is struggling even more than the Army with pilot retention due to poor quality of life, burn out due to deployment requirements, budget constraints limiting the number of new pilots coming through the pipeline, which places an even greater strain on the current mission pilots, and the perception that pushing school buses as a commercial pilot is more lucrative. Trump did just sign an EO to drag 1k retired pilots back on active duty. Im sure they are going to be a joy to work with. WASHINGTON President Trump signed an executive order Friday allowing the Air Force to recall as many as 1,000 retired pilots to active duty to address a shortage in combat fliers, the White House and Pentagon announced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavehawkfavehawk Posted October 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Geez man, just playing to stereotypes. The military is the military. We take our deployments in 4 month stints versus the 9 or so that seems normal for others. Pilots isn't the problem in our neck of the woods. Our iron is old and there isn't much of it to go around at the moment. If anything we have more pilots that we need or close to it for now. we're training more to get ready for the new helo coming online in a few years. Also, all that executive order does is up the total number the USAF can return to 1000, and that's only through voluntary means. It was 25 previously. All those dudes will go to staff gigs that supposedly require a rated dude. As of right now the UPT pipelines are pretty much maxed, so bringing in another 1000 guys wont help. However, kicking young O-4s back to the line so they can do what they love will maybe help. I doubt it will do much in the long run through. Denying O-4s their staff gigs can be bad later on if they want command. Did you like your own post?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brackac Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Hell yeah, I liked my own post!!! Thats how awesome it was. Fact. Reality. I must have tapped the like button while scrolling. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavehawkfavehawk Posted October 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 hahaha nyce 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takefootoff Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Did you ever come across a living breathing USAF warrant officer in your time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavehawkfavehawk Posted October 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Nope, I'm pretty sure the last warrant retired before I made it to kindergarten. USAF pilots are all officers. In super specialized areas like the F-4 squadrons that used to still be around some of those guys were contractors or GS employees. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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